France
Arrondissement de Saint-Omer

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    • Day 14

      Day 11 - Amettes to Bruay-la-Buissiere

      May 1, 2023 in France ⋅ ⛅ 10 °C

      I walked a good 26 km today through mining country. Some of it in the sun, which was lovely. You can't throw a stone where I am walking in France without coming across a church or a cemetery. I try to visit each church I walk past, but the majority are locked. Which is a real shame, as you can see that there is an awful lot of beautiful stained glass that I am missing 😢. I check out a cemetery, the French go all out for their dead - the graves are extremely flash - if there is a sign that indicates Commonwealth War graves. So far, they have all been air men, whom, I assume, either crashed or were shot down. Most of them are every young, in their early 20's - it's quite sobering. On a lighter note; the farmhouse I stayed in last night dates back to the 1400s! Check out the ceiling beams in the wonderful room where we had breakfast! Oh, and note the cockatoos decorating someone's front fence. One final thing, if anyone knows what those blue things are, they were everywhere in a lovely park I walked across today, I'd love to know.Read more

    • Day 13

      Day 10 - Therouanne to Amettes

      April 30, 2023 in France ⋅ ☁️ 16 °C

      I walked with Andrew from Victoria again today. We met up in our wonderful accommodation last night. It was a pleasant walk through beautiful cultivated countryside, and we did walk along an old train line, no tracks. It was magical. We seemed to encounter a lot of barking dogs today - luckily, they were all behind fences! One funny thing; we arrived at a church and Mass was in progress, and I went in - only to find we had gatecrashed a Baptism! Naturally, we left pretty quickly. Amettes is Saint Benoit Labre country. He is the Patron Saint of Pilgrims to Rome (and the homeless). In the Church, which is across the road from the most impressive Stations of the Cross I have ever seen, I was able to buy a Holy medal of him. I'll attach it to my backpack tonight.Read more

    • Day 12

      Day 9 - Wisque to Therouanne

      April 29, 2023 in France ⋅ ☁️ 8 °C

      It was good walking today. I walked solo and only saw one push bike on the Path. I saw a big group of walkers behind me, but they never caught up to me. I had one close contact with a tractor, of which I have never seen so many of my entire life - they are literally everywhere. And, just when you think you have seen everything that cultivated and grazing land has to offer, you will surprise a hare and they will run in front of you, or the sun will come out and warm you briefly, and make you smile, or you'll pass another field of yellow flowers, which I believe is Canola, and you will feel happy just to see their brilliance. But the joyful surprise today was walking on what was probably an old train line, with high earth shoulders on either side and a very stony bed. I really felt I was all alone on the planet in a secret, special place. There was a fair bit of mud to contend with today, and I did slip a few times, but it does not rate a 'Mud' day. Oh yes, I saw the largest snail I have ever seen in my life. Finally, the stained glass windows were in this weird creepy basement under the pilgrim accommodation at the Abbey in Wisque that was set up like a chapel.Read more

    • Day 14

      Bunker La Coupole

      May 12, 2022 in France ⋅ ⛅ 19 °C

      Unser letztes Museum für diese Reise.
      Hier hätten wir den ganzen Tag bleiben können.

      Fünf Kilometer von Saint Omer entfernt liegt einer der wichtigsten Erinnerungsorte an den Zweiten Weltkrieg in Nordfrankreich: der Bunker La Coupole. Als Teil des Atlantikwalls wurde La Coupole von der Organisation Todt 1943/ 44 erbaut. Er war als Abschussbasis für V2-Raketen auf England geplant. Deshalb wurde die Kuppel des Bunkers mit 55.000 Tonnen Stahlbeton verstärkt. Doch heute versteckt sich in der Kuppel Verblüffendes. Denn Sie sehen hier nun ein beeindruckendes Planetarium in 3D, das die Geschichte der V2-Raketensysteme als Basis für die Raumfahrt erzählt.Read more

    • Day 11

      Day 8 - Tournehem-sur-la-Hem to Wisques

      April 28, 2023 in France ⋅ ☁️ 16 °C

      Today, I walked with the Tasmanians, Rebecca and Barclay, for part of the day and with Andrew, from Victoria, almost the entire day. It rained quite a bit, but it was light, and I didn't even bother with my rain gear. Tonight, I am staying in the Abbaye Notre Dame, run by the Nuns. Look it up, the place is amazing! Us pilgrims get the most gorgeous little house, an old hunting lodge, to ourselves and will be sharing dinner with the nuns at 7 pm. I felt strong and confident today, and my backpack didn't bother me at all. Either I am getting stronger or, I have to wonder, if the good company made all the difference. Oh, and I saw an image of Joan of Arc in a church today. One of the photos is of the Brothers leaving their Abbey, down the street. And, no, they weren't heading towards the Nun's Abbey.Read more

    • Day 9

      Day 6 - rest day (Licques)

      April 26, 2023 in France ⋅ ☀️ 7 °C

      It's my first rest day, and I felt I deserved it, LOL. I walked around the town but took it very easy all day. I visited my first unlocked church and lit a candle. There were a number of religious icons around the town. The odd little wooden building is my cabin!Read more

    • Day 10

      Day 7 - Licques to Tournenhem-sur-la-Hem

      April 27, 2023 in France ⋅ ☁️ 15 °C

      Where I am this evening is on the Hem River (hence the name). It was an easy 15 km walk today in good weather. The wind was strong and cold when I was high up; my hat came off twice! I met up with two Aussies from Tasmania this afternoon while waiting for the Hotel reception to open - not until 4 pm! I had 3 beers, which was a bit of a mistake! I also met and had dinner with Joan, from Scotland, and Andrew, from Victoria in the evening. I'm tired and will sleep well tonight. Note the image of the library and the old advertisement for Singer sewing machines. Did you catch the photo of the Dunny? It truly was one, I made use of it to avoid having to wee somewhere on the side of the road - public toilets are few and far between in France!Read more

    • Day 16

      Oye-Plage

      June 24, 2023 in France ⋅ ☀️ 19 °C

      Day 15:
      Distance: 34.05 km (485.29 km)
      Steps: 48,787 (694,316)
      Move time: 7h43 (111h05)
      Spend: £0.00 (£203.65)

      How do you sum up a day like today? Perhaps one of the most defining days of the trip, as I placed my maiden footprint on continental Europe. And it really was the sort of day you dream of when you set out on an adventure like this. It had everything; the coastal cliff scenery at Dover, the logistics of navigating the Ferry terminal, meeting a fascinating stranger (I met an incredible Dutch lady, also an author, and as the only other obvious hiker as a ferry footpassenger, it turned out she was just starting on another hiking epic of walking from Canterbury to Rome, having also hiked all over Japan and Europe before), some sketchiness around Calais, a change in culture and landscape (perhaps the most startling difference in France is the lack of hedgerows, they just don't have them like we do, and so when it's flat, boy is it FLAT. You can see for absolute miles, so that'll be fun to try and discretely wildcamp in), an even the unexpected kindness of a stranger (the unbelievably generous campsite owner here let me stay for absolutely free and even gave me a coin to be able to have a shower! Honestly, startling kindness, I'm pretty sure that just wouldn't happen in the UK.)Read more

    • Day 21

      Going North Part 4

      September 28, 2022 in France ⋅ ⛅ 13 °C

      Up and out of Eyreux without problems and it's mainly motorway now after nippin round Rouen. They decide to spend a bob or two on the toll section around Bolougne to speed us up and we end up on the coast 20 mins from Calais on a great Aire by the harbour in Gravelines.
      Tunnel booked for a 9.50 crossing tomorrow they ave a late lunch overlooking the many small boats in the harbour then set off to explore the town, the centre of which has Fort walls surrounded completely by a wide moat. It's a small but tidy little town to wander around. Finally back at the harbour herself gets a sunset she can capture, bless her. Home tomorrow, but I ay looking forward to the crowded motorways in Blighty after the quiet beautifully surfaced roads we have enjoyed everywhere . We need the French to teach us how to make, and maintain a road network, they ave been a joy on me feet I can tell ya.
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    • Day 1

      Es geht los! - erste Station Frankreich

      July 6, 2022 in France ⋅ ⛅ 17 °C

      13 Uhr: Start in Senschenhöhe, Gereon fährt 3 Stunden, ich fahre weitere 2,5 Stunden und wir haben es nach Nordostfrankreich geschafft.

      Angekommen bauen wir unser Zelt auf und kochen lecker eigen geernteten Mangold und Salat von zuhause.

      Danach geht es zu einem kleinen Spaziergang an den Strand.
      Ein langer Steg aus alten Panzerabwehrbetonklötzen führt weit ins Meer hinaus; am Ende ein kleiner Leuchtturm und der Sonnenuntergang.
      Auf dem Rückweg Richtung Strand können wir links ein großes Atomkraftwerk "bewundern"; rechts finden wir ein großes Salicorne-Feld (essbares Salzgras), wo wir uns ein wenig mitnehmen.

      Den Abend klingen wir wieder mit eigener Ernte aus: Salicorne in Öl gebraten; fast besser als Chips.
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    Arrondissement de Saint-Omer

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